


The Endless Summer

by WandererofStars



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Drama & Romance, F/M, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-07
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-06-06 16:20:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15198644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WandererofStars/pseuds/WandererofStars
Summary: Stan and Ford have only one chance to win the heart of a young woman during their three-day stay at an inn close to a sunny beach. Things get heated between the Pines twins as they compete for a chance to be with her...and perhaps find true love.Centered around Stan x Ford rivalry.Some facts:- The story happens after Ford's return from the portal and before Weirdmageddon. This is why the twins are still bitter toward each other.- Gigi is around 27~35 in my mind. If you wish to imagine the character being younger (or older), feel free to do so.- The inspiration for the story came after playing the grunkle dating sim. If you still haven't played and are a fan of Stan and/or Ford, I recommend you do.- The nsfw content starts in Chapter 2, without anything too explicit.





	1. Come to Seaside Escape!

**Author's Note:**

> English isn't my first language. But my love for Gravity Falls, Stan and Ford knows no bounds. That being said, I hope you enjoy the story!

**Come to Seaside Escape!**

 

Stan was sitting in his usual armchair surrounded by Dipper and Mabel as the trio watched TV. The news had just started. Someone in the mayor's office had embezzled a huge amount of money. The motivation for the crime was to pay for a cosmetic surgery that would, according to the accused, “fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a woman in both body and soul”. Authorities said he could be cleared of most charges and undergo the surgery if he returned the stolen amount. The man refused and was seen last night fleeing town on a bus driven and boarded by drag queens. Suddenly, it cut to the commercial.

'Yeesh. People nowadays. They want to change everything. Their hair, their face. Even their gender! Why can't they just be satisfied with this?' he gestured to his own body. His protuberant tummy was visible under his stained shirt. His shorts smelled funny. And a tiny fly flew over his head. Behind him, the twins made a disgusted face.

An ad came practically screaming in the viewers's face for them to come visit Seaside Escape. They saw pictures of a gorgeous beach in the west coast of California, along with rustic Inns that served delicious seafood and had comfortable thematic bedrooms. Seaside had just the perfect weather for a Summer holiday.

Dipper and Mabel couldn't peel their eyes away from the TV. Stan heard them sigh in unison from both sides.

'What's the matter, kids?'

'It's been a long time since mom and dad took us to the beach.' Mabel said in a forlorn voice. 'We were like four the last time we got to see starfish and seashells...'

'...Feel sand beneath our feet...' Dipper added.

'... Enjoy the waves, the cool Summer breeze...' Mabel carried on.

Stan, who had spent his entire childhood enjoying his adventures with his brother at Glass Shard Beach, found that absurd. Still, the west coast was quite far from Gravity Falls. A car ride was out of the question. He had no money for the fuel, let alone to book a hotel room.

Gigi overheard the conversation and stopped by the living room. She watched the ad and recognised the beach.

'Oh. I know where that is. I used to go there with my parents when I was little. I even went with my friends there two Summers ago.'

Mabel turned to her with starry eyes. 'You know how to get there?'

'Of course! If you kids want to go - and your grunkles allow you, of course –, I can take the whole family and we can stay at a nice cozy Inn I know that's run by a friend of mine.'

Mabel let out a loud shriek of excitement which forced Stan to cover his ears. She started rocking his shoulders, begging him to let Gigi take them to the beach.

'Mabel, stop that! Are you crazy? I can't leave the shop unmanned.'

'What about Wendy and Soos? Can't they take care of it while we're gone?' Dipper suggested.

'And return to see the shop burned to the ground, or a complete wreck inside and two corpses lying around? No. Plus, the stanmobile can't stand long travels like this. The engine would probably overheat and we'd die in an explosion before we even arrived there.' he said, adamant.

Mabel and Dipper's faces fell.

'I can rent a jeep for the trip.' Gigi said.

Stan turned to look at her.

'Gigi, it's a long trip. At least five hours driving. Without sleep, without rest. I don't know if I'm up to driving all the way to Seaside Escape.'

'We can switch turns at the wheel.' she suggested.

Stan was surprised. He didn't know she could drive.

'We'd only be out for three days. Arrive at the Inn, have lunch, head to the beach, spend a couple of days and then come back.' Gigi said. 'It would be nice to get some tan. **Plus, I have a new bikini I'd really like to try out**.'

The last bit was enough to convince Stan.

'Kids, start packing. We're going to the beach!'


	2. The Match

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stan and Ford compete for Gigi's attention while they enjoy their time at the beach. Only one can be the winner tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is the chapter long? Yes, it is. But there are no filler paragraphs. The story is pretty straightforward. Read and you shall not be disappointed.  
> And look forward to the next chapter. Very steamy bits will follow. With which of the Pines' brothers, you ask? Read to find out.

**The Match**

 

The young twins stayed with Gigi in a room across where their grunkles were sleeping. If they needed anything, they were just a door away. Gigi knew the innkeeper well enough to get them the best rooms for a much lower price. As it were, the rooms were quite large and they all fit in comfortably. Gigi even got an extra bed for herself.

They arrived in time to have lunch and soon headed to the beach. Stan and Ford were wearing opposite fashion choices. Stan sported a white bermuda and a linen shirt, with a Hawaiian theme, while Ford was dressed in a beige bermuda and a royal blue t-shirt with the discreet design of a small anchor and ship wheel where the pocket was. There was also a pen resting there. 'In case I spot any weird phenomena going on and need to take notes.' Stan dismissed it and said 'Poindexter, give it a rest, will you? You're on vacation with your family!'

As soon as they were outside, Mabel and Dipper rushed toward the sea. Ford and Stan followed and gave them instructions so they wouldn't drown. As soon as they warned the kids to not dive into the water without one of them being near, they headed back to shore to find Gigi was already removing her clothes.

The kids were having fun splashing water onto each other and holding hands as they let the waves crash against their ankles. They didn't even notice what was going with the adults.

Stan and Ford stopped dead on their tracks as they watched her remove her white shirt, then her shorts. Her curvaceous body was too evident in that bikini. When she crouched to fetch the sunscreen from her beach bag, they noticed how her bottom seemed to get even bigger. They both blushed furiously, but couldn't look away.

They saw her begin to apply sunscreen to her arms and swallowed hard. Ford thought of offering himself to apply it on her back, but his natural social awkwardness stopped him. Plus, he was sure Gigi could find it rude a man of his age offered to touch her. Stan saw how his brother hesitated and took the opportunity. He fought down his anxiety and marched toward the beach seat next to hers.

'Looking good in that bikini.' he smirked, giving her the thumbs up, trying not to look nervous.

'You think so? I thought it would make my tummy seem larger than it is.'

'The only large tummy I see here is mine.' he patted his visible belly beneath his shirt, making her chuckle. Ford walked to them and silently sat on the beach seat on the opposite side, unfolding his newspaper. As it was, Gigi was surrounded by the grunkles, who sat on opposite sides: Stan on the right, Ford on the left.

Mabel elbowed her brother and showed him what was going on.

'Do you see this?'

'Yeah. Our grunkles made sure no one else can sit by Gigi's side. They're protecting her from strangers.' he commented.

'Aw, Dipper, that's cute! But that's not what I meant. Look! She's applying sunscreen.' Mabel pointed.

'Uh oh.' Dipper finally realised what was going to happen. The twins pretended to catch seashells on the shore while watching the adults.

 

* * *

 

Gigi had almost finished applying the sunscreen. Stan was ridiculously trying not to notice her as she caressed every inch of her body with her hands. Now all that was left was to pour some on her back. Ford just watched both of them from the corner of his eye, pretending to read the newspaper.

'Need an extra hand with that?' came Stan's voice, pointing at the bottle.

She giggled and motioned for him to grab the bottle from her...

Ford cleared his throat and reached for it before his brother.

'Here, let me take care of this.' he said, picking up a second small bottle from his bermuda's pocket and preparing to mix both products.

'Hey!' Stan complained as Ford squeezed the bottle, letting enough sunscreen to come out on his palm. 'You've never applied sunscreen on anyone before!'

'You're mistaken. I've been to deserts while in my adventures beyond the portal where you couldn't leave your hideout without sunscreen. I know exactly how to proceed in such situations.' Ford said confidently, mixing it with the content of his tiny bottle.

Gigi saw the mixture he intended to apply and looked worried. Stan noticed it as well.

'Are you sure that's not gonna cause her skin to melt away or something? Have you even tried that on humans before?' he complained.

'I'm coated on it right now. It's a recipe of my own. Perfectly safe to use.' Ford told his brother with an air of confidence, about to touch Gigi. Once he saw that six-fingered hand get dangerously close to her skin, Stan couldn't hold back anymore.

'You don't know what you're doing with that. Give me the bottle.' he said, raising from his seat.

Ford recoiled and hid the bottle from his brother's grasp. Gigi watched as the twins started to argue, instinctively grabbing her towel.

'You don't know the right amount of sunscreen to adequately shield the skin from the Sun. You'll just smear her back with it!' Ford shouted as he tried to keep Stan away from the damn bottle.

Mabel noticed the confusion up ahead and stopped to watch. The young twins saw Ford and Stan wrestle for the bottle like two little boys. Two boys that sounded like fully-grown man.

'Gimme the bottle, you nerd!'

'Stop that, you knucklehead! Ow, stop that! You're gonna twist my arm!'

They didn't see what they were doing and the bottle squished a large portion of liquid in Gigi's direction. Luckily, she had been covering herself with a towel, anticipating the disastrous outcome. Still, her leg was now coated in sunscreen.

Dipper covered his mouth to stifle his laughter. He had never seen his grunkles behave so goofy in his life. This was hilarious.

Both men apologised, handing her the paper towels they had brought. They hesitated to offer to clean her leg, feeling awkward.

'Oh no! They're ruining everything!' Mabel said in despair. She had to fix the situation.

Gigi had just gotten up from her seat when Mabel shouted at her at the top of her lungs.

'Heeey Gigi, wanna play some volleyball?' she asked with a captivating smile.

'I'd love to!' the woman said, relieved to have an excuse to escape the grunkles' crazy antics.

'Then bring the ball and let's play!' she shouted back .'C'mon, Dipper!'

She pulled her brother by the arm against his protests and both headed to where the volley net was. Stan and Ford watched as they failed their first real chance to get closer to a woman in over thirty years.

'Dang it. If you had just handed me that bottle, none of this would've happened.' Stan complained.

'Damn it, Stan! How can you be so stubborn? I was trying to avoid you from clumsily applying too much sunscreen on her and having Gigi leave!'

'Well, never mind that, Poindexter. She left anyway.' Stan commented, both brothers watching her go play with the young twins.

Gigi gave a coin for the twins to flip to decide on whose team she would be. Dipper won and Mabel blew a raspberry at him. She also suggested the team had names. Dipper went for Pine Tree and Mabel for Shooting Star.

Ford resumed reading his newspaper while Stan watched the match. He had eyes only for Gigi as he saw how she moved. That bikini looked fantastic on her. It covered all the right places, revealing enough skin to allow him to appreciate her gorgeous body.

That was it. If he remained seated in that beach seat like a loser, there wouldn't be a second chance.

Unlike Ford, Stan was a man who enjoyed taking risks. As usual, he improvised a strategy and made a decision. He got up from his seat and marched toward the players.

'Stan, where are you going?'

'I'll fight to recover my lost dignity.' he said under his breath.

Mabel noticed him approaching.

'Grunkle Stan! You've joined us!' she beamed.

'Watch your grunkle in action, pumpkin. I'll show you how to play like a pro!'

'I can't wait to see!' she sniggered, seeing her favorite grunkle was taking the lead in the game of love.

Team Pine Tree lost the next match and Dipper took advantage of the situation.

'Grunkle Ford! We're being obliterated over here! Give us a hand!'

In the past five minutes, Ford had been looking for an excuse to even the odds against his brother. Now was his chance.

Unlike Stan, he politely got up from his seat and folded the newspaper neatly, placing it on the seat, prepared to join the others. He walked with an air of dignity in contrast to his brother, who had a clumsy gait.

'C'mon, Stanford. We don't have all DAY!' Stan teased.

Ford positioned himself beside Dipper, who was now between two adults. The boy hoped they wouldn't accidentally kick him or fall over him during the game.

'You're too confident in your skills, Stanley! Time to tone it down a bit with some real talent!' Ford said in a loud voice.

'Oh ho. Ho ho ho ho ho! You think YOU're gonna show me what “real talent” is? Hah! Keep dreaming, nerd!' Stan laughed.

'Less talking, more action!' Ford replied.

'I like how you think.' Gigi said suddenly, catching Ford off guard and making him blush all the way to his ears.

The match began quite calmly until Stan began to score some points. He was already celebrating Team Shooting Star's victory when Ford whispered something to Dipper and Gigi and the score began to turn. At each defeat, Stan's throws became more aggressive and he started teasing his brother, trying to throw him off balance. Ford realised he wasn't teasing him about the match at all and began to tease him back, picking up the pace to match his brother's speed.

The brothers kept throwing insulting remarks at each other, meant to be sheer provocation. Gigi was finding the whole game to be pretty exciting and was completely oblivious to the fact that the grunkles were disputing to see who would become the ultimate winner tonight.

Half an hour had passed and the adults were already tired. The match ended in a tie. The kids were tired too, but they could still go on if they wanted. Mabel insisted they had to try one more match for the tie breaker.

'Give your grunkle a bit of a rest, will ya, pumpkin? I feel like I've lost about 20 lbs just from sweating.' Stan pleaded, sitting on the sand, wheezing. Ford did the same across him, looking equally exhausted. Thank God Dipper was more rational than his sister and didn't insist he go for one last match.

'Stay here, guys. I'll bring the water bottles.' Gigi said, rushing to the beach seats.

'How can she still run after playing for half an hour straight?' Stan said, fanning the front of his shirt to cool down his body heat.

'Age, Stan. She's thirty years younger than we are.' Ford replied.

The brothers shared a knowing look and silently admitted to each other they might be in over their heads. Their bodies ached in protest, warning them they were no longer fit to play beach volley under a scorching Summer sun.

 

**Four hours later…**

The group returned to the inn. Everybody had showered and dined. Mabel and Dipper still played a bit in their room after watching some TV. Ford hadn't gotten up from the sofa except to use the toilet, which was just down the end of the corridor. All things considered, he hadn't felt so tired from the match. He was quite strong and slim when he returned from the portal, which meant he kept in shape all those years. As for Stan...

'He hasn't gotten up for two hours now. I'm going out to buy some ointment. He says everything hurts and that he has cramps every now and then.' he explained to Gigi.

'Where?'

'Well, the first was in his leg. Then, his foot. Then his other leg. Now it's the shoulder.'

'Never mind. I'll go get the medicine.'

'But-'

'I insist.' she said, asking him to wait for her in his room.

 

**Ten minutes later…**

Gigi helped Ford massage his brother's limbs with a soothing cream for tired muscles. The sight of her improved his mood considerably. Ford just didn't like having her touch his brother's body right in front of him. And with his help, even.

Stan kept purring here and then, making her chuckle. She compared his relaxed posture as that of a big lazy cat. This was annoying Ford to no end. Stan then pretended to bite her shoulder as she massaged his left arm, only to have Ford scold him and tell him to “knock it off”.

'Yeesh, what's the matter with you? You're even grumpier than usual.' Stan complained, giving Ford a malicious smirk.

'There. You should feel better now. No more cramps for today. I hope this massage helps you sleep.' Gigi said, getting up.

Stan held her hand, which reeked of eucalyptus and planted a kiss on it, letting his tongue brush against her skin.

'This whole trip was worth it just to be caressed by your feminine touch.'

She giggled and blushed a bit. Ford was getting more annoyed by the second.

'Alright. Time to go check on the kids. Come on, Gigi.' he said, rushing her outside.

Stan eyed his brother suspiciously as he led her away. He tried getting up from the chair, but his muscles protested. He growled and hoped this pain would be over soon.

* * *

 

'Seems like someone's energy supply ran out.' Ford commented, watching the twins snore.

'Would you look at that. The volley match actually worked in our favor in the end.' Gigi said, making Ford laugh.

As it happened, Dipper and Mabel were already asleep on the sofa. Gigi carried Mabel's delicate little frame to her bed, while Ford did the same for Dipper. They pulled their respective blankets up their necks and whispered them goodnight as they turned off the lights. Ford actually saw Gigi caress Mabel's long mane once and plant a kiss on her forehead. He felt a great rush of affection for her.

They walked back to the living room and turned off the TV.

'Thanks for helping me put the kids in bed.' he smiled 'Listen, I...I wanted to apologise for the whole incident with your sunscreen. My brother and I are not usually like that.'

Gigi told him to forget about it. She had another bottle to use tomorrow. His heart skipped a beat and he made a mental note of it. Tomorrow he'd beat Stanley to it for sure.

Without warning, she hugged him and kissed him on the cheek, wishing him goodnight.

'Thanks for coming with us, Ford. Your brother said you'd likely turn down my invitation, but I hoped you'd spend some quality time with your family. And with me, as well.' she blushed, barely containing her smile.

'He said that? What does Stan know? Of course I'd come! Especially since it was you who invited me!'

His conviction only made her blush more. Both were still standing quite close to each other, her arms over his, hands sliding down to almost touch his six-fingered ones...

His natural awkwardness got the better of him and he scratched his head with one hand, taking a step back. He felt the heat wave come all the way up to his neck and ears and prayed he didn't look too flustered.

'Well, I-I'd better go back. S-see if Stanley needs anything else.' he tried to say without stammering.

'Alright, Ford. Goodnight.' she said, squeezing his free hand gently.

As soon as she closed the door, he let out a loud breath of relief and walked to his own room. He rested his forehead on the door for a moment, chastising himself for not holding her hands in his.

'Why am I so shy around women?'

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Which team did you cheer for? Pine Tree or Shooting Star?
> 
> I'm portraying Stan as a confident ladies' man according to what we know of him from episodes like Roadside Attraction, while Ford's approach to love and romance is more subdued. Stan is a risk taker, while Ford is cautious. Stan takes the lead and makes it up as he goes along. Ford observes his prey before deciding which strategy is best to use.
> 
> I know the story is just beginning, but if you liked this chapter, I urge you to give it kudos and share it with your friends and followers. It would make me really happy if you did.


	3. Fireworks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stan finds Gigi drinking alone on a beautiful Summer night and both share a heartfelt moment which may promise something more...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW content ahead. No explicit content, though. Reader's discretion advised.
> 
> Recommended soundtrack:  
> Simulate (DJ Zek)  
> link on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/theofficalfawxtrot/simulate

**Fireworks**

 

**An hour later...**

Ford had gone to bed. He had covered his brother's sleeping form with a blanket to make sure he didn't freeze on that sofa.

The night breeze came through a slit of the window and woke Stan up. He cursed and let out a stream of colourful metaphors to fully express his anger at being awakened late at night by a cold gust of wind.

As it happened, he heard the door to the twins' room open and close. A moment later he heard Gigi's voice in the hallway as she asked the receptionist not to let the kids leave the room, for “ _she'd be back in a few minutes_.”

This was it. This was his chance. If only he fought back his goddamn cramps and muscle exhaustion, he could do it. He knew he could.

'C'mon, Stan. You won't get a chance like this again in your increasingly short life. Get up from that sofa!'

He stumbled and fell to the floor, quickly recomposing himself. He hoped Ford hadn't heard him and remained fast asleep. He put on his linen shirt and pants, then dabbed some cologne behind his ears. Couldn't go outside without pants. Not that he cared. Those teenagers could stare at his hairy legs in horror for all he cared. But he had a lady to impress tonight.

* * *

 

He found Gigi sitting on the porch drinking some beer. She had a cooler where around five or six cans were stashed.

'Care if I join?' he said with a smile.

She noticed him there and her eyes gleamed as she smiled back. She welcomed his company. Good.

'I thought you were aching all over. What happened? Was my massage so good you're already fully recovered?'

'I just had to come outside to enjoy the night breeze. It's... so nice and...fresh tonight.' he mumbled, trying to control his nervousness.

The temperature was low enough to be downright cold, to be exact. He sneezed loudly, but otherwise pretended he was fine. He felt something fluffy fall over his head. Gigi had thrown her sweater at him. Stan put it on, feeling her body scent fill his nostrils. He cursed when he couldn't pull the zipper all the way to his chest and growled. His protuberant tummy was on the way.

She took an unopened can from the cooler and offered it to him. 'Beer?'

'I'd rather help you finish that one.' he pointed to the can she was drinking from. She handed it to him with a giggle.

They watched a group dancing at some distance to some loud romantic music. Apparently they were celebrating a wedding on the beach or something. The music was quite nice and the couples looked happy.

Stan handed her back the beer and she took a sip.

'I always loved coming to Seaside. Once when I was four and later on when I was already in college. This place always made me feel at peace with myself.' she confessed in a low voice, beginning to open herself to him. They shared the beer in between the conversation, accidentally tasting each other's lips as they took a sip.

'Life is driving you up the walls?' Stan took another sip.

'When hasn't it been? Ever since my parents divorced, things have gone to hell.'

Whoa. The conversation had suddenly become weighty. He took a longer sip, emptying the can. Gigi's hand automatically dived to the cooler, opening another can.

'What happened?'

She took a sip. 'Mom was always ambitious. Dad tried to make her stay, but she had found someone else to share her life with. Someone who owned five estates, had a six-digit monthly wage and traveled ten times a year. That kind of man. Dad's emotional stability got from bad to worse. He started drinking. Got real violent. I had to work my way out of home, do a couple of jobs here and there until I found out my grandpa died and left me a bit of money. Used it to pay my college tuition, graduated and finally got a decent enough job to have a life of my own.'

She took a really long sip before sharing.

'That's the quickest I've seen someone summarise their whole life history. You've got a talent for keeping it short.'

She sniggered and her cheeks were fully red. He felt her swing to his side as she laughed. Stan saw she was already feeling a bit lightheaded. He wondered for how logn she had been drinking before he arrived.

'What about you?' she asked.

Stan took a sip. 'Dad kicked me out of home after I ruined my brother's academic prospects. Had to live on my own since then. Became a traveling salesman, was banned from over thrity two states. After seeing my brother again after ten years, lost him. We only met again after thirty years. He was angry, sour and gave me three months to leave his home as he worked in his lab in a dark basement. And all this time, I survived deceiving tourists dumb enough to buy the junk I make up at the Mystery Shack.' he finished, taking a long sip.

'Wow. Some difference from my life story, but yours hit a bit close to home.' she said.

'Yeah. Pretty close.' he said, smacking his lips. 'Got any twin sibling mad at you for ruining their dream college?'

'I got a lot of people mad at me because I often don't do as I'm told. But I'm not sure that answers your question.' she pondered.

'Huh. So you're rebellious as well?' he smirked.

'A bit. Although it's only because bad things force you to be, you know? What I truly wish is to have a home, a husband, some kids...'

'Some? As in plural?' he emphasized.

'Yeah. Some. Definitely.' she sniggered. 'I've always intended to form my own family someday. I've learned it's not worth living all on your own, without people to love you, to whom you can dedicate yourself.' she concluded.

'Couldn't have said it better.' Stan said, taking a last sip and throwing the can away.

The wedding started. The bride and the groom said their vows. Stan and Gigi watched in silence until they kissed and the guests applauded. They thought the party was over until the fireworks started, illuminating the beach with their colorful shower of light. Bride and groom kissed again and a slow ballad echoed on the shore. The couples began to dance together, entranced by the music.

Gigi was so touched by the sight she reclined her torso toward Stan's warm body and let her head rest against his collarbone. Stan froze for a moment, feeling close human contact after so long and convinced himself to relax. He felt her breath on his neck. She smelled of beer, like him.

He brought her even closer by encircling her with one arm, holding her against him. For some reason, he felt as if he were back in Glass Shard Beach, now a young man in his twenties, still full of hopes and dreams and his entire life ahead of him.

His heart began to beat faster and the night chill was being replaced by a heat wave, making him feel hot and sweaty inside that sweater. He glanced at Gigi, who felt him watching her and turned her head at him without a word. She looked completely flustered and her eyes gleamed, reflecting his own features in their mysterious depths. He could tell she was enjoying that moment, feeling completely relaxed, as if she trusted him with every fiber of her being. He just didn't know if this feeling stemmed from the beer or from their closeness.

He kissed her forehead without much thought. She still stared into his eyes, searching for something. He then did the boldest thing he ever did in his life.

Stan kissed her fully on the lips, tongue and everything. It was a slow kiss, tongues caressing each other in a slow dance. There was no need to rush. They weren't newlyweds having to prove to society how much in love they were. They were just a man and a woman enjoying Summer holidays on the beach, creating their own endless Summer.

The caress lasted almost a full minute with Gigi having completely shut her eyes and surrendered to the feeling. The kiss sent pleasurable shivers down her spine and warmed her body, awakening desires long neglected. He adjusted himself on the seat and they were now turned to each other. He grabbed her head delicately and their mouths met again, this time deepening the kiss. The taste of beer was delicious. She had completely surrendered to him and let him explore her mouth. Soon he found out which caresses made her moan and he teased her, moving his tongue in a way that build up her expectation until he gave her what she wanted. Each time he did it, he paused until she kissed him back, showing how much she wanted him tonight.

The chill breeze was just chill enough to make them feel the heat between them increased. Her body scent coming from the sweater made him want to get closer. Before they knew it, she was sitting on his lap, with him kissing her mouth, her neck, caressing her back and her waist with his hands under her shirt.

He could feel her subtly move her pelvis against his, their kisses becoming slightly less romantic and more primal. He grabbed one butt cheek and squeezed it, making her move her pelvis more explicitly and grab his hands to bring them to her breasts, to touch the skin under her bra in circular motions...

He looked around and realised he didn't know any places where they could give way to their mutual desire.

'There's a whole beach ahead of us. And no curious tourists at this time of year.' she suggested.

'Except for the crowd over there.' he motioned with his head to the wedding.

'I don't think they'll bother with us. They seem pretty content celebrating their party. Don't you think?'

Stanley smirked and lifted her slim frame with both hands as he carried her away from the Inn and onto a more secluded location, her arms and legs wrapped around his hips, one hand holding her buttocks and the other over her back, keeping her steady and close to him.

* * *

From atop a window, a distant pair of eyes watched behind framed glasses his brother carry the girl of his dreams away from him and out of sight. Ford couldn't contain his anger and frustration as he watched her slip away forever from his grasp. The scene hurt him so much. Then why couldn't he turn his eyes away? Maybe he needed to convince himself this was it. He won. His brother won. Stanley won. And he had to come to terms with that.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stan won this round. One day down, two to go. Holiday in Seaside Escape is just beginning. Many surprises await.
> 
> If you liked this chapter, please like, recommend and share with friends and followers. Writing is a tiresome process, one done without any reward other than your feedback. Thank you and I hope I'll see you in the next chapter!


	4. The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Stan and Gigi's late night date, the grunkles have a heated argument over breakfast. The wheels of the love game are set in motion once more and Dipper may become a player to aid his favorite grunkle in his effort to win fair lady's heart.

**The Morning After**

Ford couldn't shut his eyes that night. Images of what Stan and Gigi were doing alone on that beach kept crawling in his mind and tormenting him. Until...

He heard people running upstairs and someone was limping. He heard a familar hoarse voice and realised Stan was back at the inn less than an hour later after he had taken her away from the inn.

'I'm really sorry. Cramps, you know.' he heard his muffled voice through the walls.

'I should have let you go back and rest. We can...conclude our conversation another night.' he heard Gigi answer.

Stan liked that. Very much. He was about to kiss Gigi goodnight when Dipper suddenly came through the door from the twins' bedroom.

'Oh! Hehe. Sorry, didn't notice you two there.' he scratched his head, embarassed.

Stan eyed him with suspicion. His nephew feigned innocence.

'Well, goodnight, Stan.' Gigi said, giving him a peck in the cheek and squeezing his hand affectionately. Dipper passed by them and headed to the toilet, not looking back.

'Goodnight.' he said with a smile, looking crestfallen after she shut the door. He had hoped to spend a romantic night with her on the beach. As it was, their date was cut short. He'd have to hope for a second opportunity to be alone with her.

Dipper waited until his grunkle entered his room to return to his own. He walked with a confident gait, satisfied he managed to avoid Stan kissing Gigi.

* * *

 

Stan removed his clothes and put on his pajama, sighing heavily. His wonderful night with Gigi had been abruptly interrupted by a gang of teenagers who came out of nowhere and decided to use the beach as their private spot to use recreational drugs.

'Ah. Why is it so difficult for a man who have some privacy with his lady?' he complained, mentally counting the number of failed attempts in the past. Just when he and the girl were about to get intimate, something always happened to ruin an otherwise perfect night.

He dragged his feet toward the room and slipped into bed, praying his night wouldn't be punctured by cramps. Just as he fell asleep, Ford turned to look at his sleeping brother, secretly glad his date with Gigi had ended a lot sooner than he anticipated.

* * *

 

Once Dipper was inside, Mabel was already shooting questions at Gigi. Apparently the twins woke up with all the noise outside.

'You and Grunkle Stan returned late tonight. What happened?'

Dipper shouted his sister's name, startled at how she had no subtlety. The girl just smirked back at him.

Gigi sighed, worried if she should tell the kids what was going on between her and the grunkles.

''Stan and I were talking. You know, sharing a conversation, nothing much. And then, we walked on the beach to find a spot where...we could...feel more comfortable.'

Mabel nodded, asking her to go on. Dipper wasn't sure he wanted to know the rest.

'Well, suffice it to say we barely found a quiet corner when a gang of rowdy teenagers showed up smoking and drinking, making a ruckus. Stan and I had to wait until they left to resume our...conversation when he started feeling some really painful cramps. So I helped him walk back here.' she concluded.

Mabel couldn't believe her ears. So the date was a failure?

'Wait.' Dipper said 'So you and Gunkle Stan...never...'

Gigi realised he meant to mention a date and saw the twins weren't so young and childish as she thought.

'If you mean we never had a "proper" date, then yes.' she admitted 'If you kids don't mind, I'll change into my pajamas. That match was great, but now I feel all sore.'

The twins watched her leave, Mabel with a look of utter dismay and Dipper barely containing a huge smile already forming on his lips.

'Well, I'll go back to bed. Good night, Mabel.'

'Good night, Dipper.' she said, dragging herself to the room after him.

As he crawled into bed, he turned to face the wall. Dipper had to be careful not to let his sister see how happy he was or she would learn of his plans to make sure Gigi ended with the right grunkle. It wasn't too late for her to become his aunt and Grunkle Ford to find love. If his grunkle could land with someone like her, then he, Dipper, could find someone worthwhile too.

* * *

 

**The next morning...**

The Pines family had breakfast in silence as they watched TV in the cafeteria. Ford read his morning newspaper, his usual strategy to avoid awkward social interaction. Stan was feeling subdued, but every now and then, did something ridiculous to make Mabel and Gigi laugh.

Ford and Dipper had been the first to seat at the table that morning and made sure Stan didn't seat next to her. Nephew and grunkle sat on each side, and Dipper insisted Mabel sat next to him, to make sure Stan didn't bully him into chaging seats. So far, his plan worked.

_'Local news reporter Aaron Smith has gone missing after a storm raged and swept the coastal area of Berlington, a local neighborhood in Seaside Escape. The storm was unusual for this time of year. Local conspiracy theorist Theodore Goldstein claims the storm was the work of a submarine alien vessel located somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, near Seaside's shore. Authorities, however, have already dismissed his claim and deemed it to be nothing short of far-fetched delusional paranoia of a man with a lifetime obsession for UFOs.'_

The news were enough to pry Ford away from his newspaper.

'There ARE alien vessels resting on the seabed. Plenty of them, actually. But most of them are no longer operational. Hence why it's so difficult to find evidence of alien presence on the planet.'

Stan groaned. 'Again with this? Everyone knows the area of the Pacific Ocean is unstable. Prone to tsunamis and hurricanes and...other...sea related disasters.' he said, forking a huge amount of scrambled eggs at once and unceremoniously shoving it down his throat.

'Just because you haven't seen a UFO, doesn't mean it doesn't exist.' Ford retorted.

'Says the nerd.' Stan murmured under his breath, making Mabel laugh.

That was it. Ford was through with his brother always calling him a nerd. Stan could be so childish.

'This isn't some far-fetched fantasy out of a game, Stanley! This is real! I've spent thirty years beyond the portal dealing with all sorts of creatures your limited imagination couldn't even conceive of. Some of them have been watching Earth for centuries! You mock my work and my discoveries, wanting to show how tough you are in contrast, how being a nerd is for losers, but the truth is, If you had to go through what I did these past years, you wouldn't last a **DAY**.'

'Well, excuse me, but I'm not the one crazy enough to leave the safety of my home to go gallivanting around Weirdland and making friends with aliens and, and...making deals with **one-eyed triangle-shaped demons** just to prove what a great scientist I am. That is you! You've got your head so far up your ass you couldn't even tell when you were being **HAD** by an amateur con man. It's not like Bill had to try hard to butter you up. And look where all that vanity got you!' Stan replied.

Ford's mouth twitched and Stan saw he had struck a nerve.

'No, you wouldn't, Stan. You'd rather come up with a fraudulent business, steal my house and my name and extort people to make a living! You even got Dipper and Mabel involved in your illegal affairs! Some great uncle you are, Stanley!' Ford said, folding his arms. Now it was his turn to strike a nerve.

'Hey, I'm not the one who left their family behind when they needed me!' Stan shouted at him, looking livid.

'No, you're the one who ruins everyone's dreams with your selfish materialistic philosophy! It doesn't matter what other people want. So long as Stanley can keep things going his way, what other people want to do with their lives doesn't matter. Life doesn't come down to your selfish wishes, Stan! Nor are people supposed to be entangled in your crazy affairs for making money!'

'Oh, that's rich coming from you! **I'M** the one putting food on the table while you play with your toys in the basement! I had to take care of Dipper and Mabel the whole Summer while you turn your back to your family! You think you can take better care of them? I've been breaking my back for fourty years before you came back. All on my own, with no support from my selfish family.' he said 'You want to criticise me, then do better. Show you can be a good grunkle to your niece and nephew. But you won't. Your project comes first. Family was always unimportant to you, Stanford. You never recognise what people do for you, you ungrateful, stuck up piece of sh-'

'Now look here!' Ford shouted, unwilling to be offended like that by his brother.

Both men stood up, enraged. Gigi was startled by how breakfast had turned into a family feud. Dipper had picked up his plate and hid under the table, gobbling up his scrambled eggs and bacon before anyone had a chance to flip the table. Gigi slyly passed him the salt. Mabel had her arms stretched toward her grunkles, trying to end the fight.

'Whoa guys, what in blazes? What happened? We were having breakfast and things sudenly got heated! Look, it's just the news. It doesn't matter whether there are aliens or not out there. Let's just chill and eat. Please!' she pleaded.

But the twins were far from chilling out. They glared at each other, furious, none daring to make the first move. All of a sudden, one of the staff showed up and announced there would be a dance night in their nightclub, complete with karaoke. All couples were invited to attend.

The table was silent when Mabel let out a happy shriek, chanting 'Karaoke!'. Everyone's heads at the cafeteria turned to her, some of them smiling or giggling.

'Wait. She said couples. Grunkle Stan, you gotta invite Gigi!' the girl shouted.

Dipper choked on his food and struggled to not suffocate. Gigi readily smuggled a glass of water from the table and handed it to him. He took it with a shaky hand. Ford looked from Mabel and back to Stan, as though daring him to even think of comitting that crime in front of him. As it was, Stan smirked to his brother and cleared his throat, turning to Gigi, ready to invite her after their hot date.

'So...ready to finish what we started last night?' he smirked.

She blushed violently, suddenly feeling everyone's attention on her. She wasn't used to this and had to fight down a panic attack. As she was about to give him her answer, they heard a bang and Dipper emerged from beneath the table, massaging his scalp and wincing. The boy had accidentally hit his head on the table as he tried to get up hastily.

Gigi thanked for the lucky intervention and excused herself, taking Dipper to the kitchen. She asked the staff for an ice bag. Stan was left without an answer, but his confidence didn't fade away. He was sure her shyness was due to his straightforward approach. He had come in too strong, he told himself, still smirking.

Once Gigi disappeared through the kitchen door, both grunkles resumed their silent confrontation.

'Stop fooling around with her, Stanley. You don't even have any real feelings for her! You just want to have fun!' Ford exclaimed.

'Oh, is that what you think? Look, Poindexter, you're my brother, but you don't know me as well as you think.' Stan warned.

Ford folded his arms. 'I know you well enough to know you'll run away at the first obstacle you encounter. You have no condition to take proper care of her, and you know it. Look at you! You don't even have a job! Your only source of income is the shack. And that doesn't work as a retirement plan. As soon as she starts complaining about life with you under the same roof, you'll just run away. Like you always do.'

His brother seemed to hit a sensitive spot and Stan banged his hand on the table. 'I had to take care of myself after being thrown out of the house! By my own dad! While YOU comfortably lived in THEIR house, protected by _mommy_ and _daddy_ as your brother struggled to survive. You were fed a silver spoon your whole life and now you can't **SHUT UP** about how your mean brother was unfair to you all those years ago. You think having adventures in Weirdland is tough? Try having MY life, Ford! Oh, I remember. You never had the guts to risk everything and build your own life from scratch!'

Mabel remained silent, seeing their grunkles still had A LOT more unresolved issues between them than she initially thought. She sunk her head between her hands, thinking of Gigi's reaction to those two stubborn old fools arguing. This was NOT how she planned her trip to the beach to go. Somehow, she had to salvage Stan's only chance to find love or he would end up lonely and bitter, with a brother he couldn't stand.

* * *

 

Dipper had to remove the ice bag now and then from his head. The cold made him shiver.

'I'm sorry you had to see my grunkles argue like that. It's the first time I've seen them that angry. Quite frankly, it scared me. They're usually grumpy, but not THAT much.' the boy said.

'It's ok. My parents used to argue all the time. To the point they got a divorce.' she confessed.

Dipper turned to look at her astonished.

'They did?'

She nodded.

'How did you cope with that?'

She took a long breath.

'Eventually I outgrew that. But I had help from...external sources, so to speak. I loved playing video games and anime was something new on TV. So I had plenty of distractions from all the drama going on at home to keep my mind elsewhere. So, I coped with like any child would: by surrounding myself with fantasy.' she smiled.

'Thank God for video games and anime.' Dipper said, both laughing.

As she tended his wound, both remained silent for a moment until he turned to her once more. 'Do you really like grunkle Stan?' he blurted out, sounding worried.

'Well...your grunkle is fun to be with. Stan has an unusual sense of humor.' she began.

 _'Very unusual._ ' Dipper thought.

'He's lived a hard life. I can tell. He listens to people. He makes me feel comfortable. But I'm still not sure if I like him. Not the way you're asking me, I mean. It's too early to tell.'

He stared at her with bulging eyes.

'But...you and him almost...last night... Uh, you know what? Never mind. Forget I asked.' he said, feeling this was an awkward topic.

She combed his hair with her fingers, smiling at him.

'I like you, Dipper. I wish I had a younger brother like you. You're a sensible boy for your age. Sensible and perceptive.'

He stared at her, amazed. 'You think so?'

She nodded.

'You're a lot like your grunkle Ford. Has anyone ever told you?'

He shook his head, appreciating the comparison nonetheless. So Gigi wasn't sure of her feelings for Stan? At least not yet? Then that meant Ford still had a chance to win her heart. If only his grunkle could beat his shyness when it came to social interaction. And then he felt disheartened again. Dipper was also lame at any task involving social skills. He sunk on his chair. He wasn't the best person to advise his grunkle in the affairs of love. But if he didn't do anything, Ford would lose to Stan, who was much more of a people person.

He remembered there was going to be a dance night later that day. All couples were invited. Stan would no doubt hurry and invite Gigi. But that didn't mean they were a couple. Not if Ford managed to steal his girl by the end of the night.

'That's it!' Dipper exclaimed.

He hopped from his seat and excused himself while he dashed to find Ford. All he needed was to formulate a plan. And this time, there was no way his plan wouldn't work.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dipper has finally joined the game. Mabel doesn't know yet, but now she has a rival. Which sibling will be a better coach to their grunkle? And can one of Dipper's plans actually work this time? Place your bets!
> 
> And don't forget to leave kudos, comment and share after reading.


	5. The Coach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the party draws near, Dipper and Mabel have only a few hours to convince their favourite grunkle to head to the mall and get ready to seduce the girl of their dreams. Which grunkle will look the best tonight?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter is centered around Dipper and Mabel for a change and presents personal interactions of them with their grunkle of choice. Perfect for GF fans who like to see Stan+Mabel and Ford+Dipper moments.

**The Coach**

 

Stan was reading the newspaper in the main lounge when he heard a loud girlish voice summon him.

'Grunkle Stan, what are you doing? The party will be in about' she checked the clock 'Four hours from now! You should be getting ready!'

Stan lifted his head from the newspaper, looking nonplussed. 'Hm? What?'

When Mabel noticed what her grunkle was wearing, she stared at him in shock.

'You...aren't gonna wear THIS to the party, are you?' disappointment punctuated each word.

Stan stared at his own attire. A pair of red mocassins, white trousers adorned by a large belt containing a huge and heavy golden fastener, a flashy red shirt open at the collar, where a large tacky golden chain hanged by his neck. 'Why? What's wrong with the way I look?'

Mabel approached him and smelled the cheap cologne. She held her nostrils shut between her fingers and looked away in disgust. Then she buried her head in her hands in despair.

'No, no, no, no! You can't go to the party like this! This' she gesticulated to his entire body 'is all wrong!'

Stan looked offended and crossed his arms. 'Hey! Excuse me. There's nothing wrong with the way I dress! Those clothes were all the rage back in my days!'

'In 1970, perhaps!' she argued back 'Grunkle Stan, no one wears this anymore. Especially not Gigi. She wasn't even born when this was fashionable! If she sees you wearing this, she won't want to dance with you. Let alone be seen hanging with you!'

Stan looked even grumpier and turned his head from her, looking mortally offended.

'Look, I know you like her. And you want to impress her. And I also know she feels the same way for you. You are my favourite grunkle! I want to help you two get together. Which is why I can't let you go to the party like this!' she shouted, drawing some attention to her grunkle and herself.

Stan shushed her and asked her to please keep it down.

'What are you saying, that she'll turn me down if I go upstairs right now and invite her?'

Mabel nodded, looking dead serious.

'But you said she likes me! I mean, she...and I...we, er...' he scratched his head. He couldn't tell his niece what had transpired that night between him and Gigi.

'She does. But grunkle Stan, you have to realise how you look. Gigi is like, what, 25, 26 years old?'

'She's over thirty, pumpkin.' he corrected her.

'Whaaat?' she yelled. Stan almost laughed. That was the same reaction he had once he learned her age. 'Wait. She's still a lot younger than you.'

'You don't have to remind me of that.' he grunted.

'And yet she likes to be with you. Which is why this party is the perfect opportunity. And we can't let it go to waste! I mean, do you even know how men dress nowadays? Cause I could give you some great tips!'

Stan thought about this. On one hand, Mabel was right. He must look ridiculous to young people. On the other hand, her plans sometimes backfired. It was a choice between facing dead certain ridicule wearing his current attire or risking looking mildly ridiculous to potentially gorgeous by following...whatever plan Mabel was about to improvise. And Stan had always been a man of taking risks, no matter the odds he faced.

'Y-you think...you really think Gigi and I could...'

'Of course!' she beamed.

His mood improved considerably. He scratched his chin.

'So...what am I supposed to wear to impress her? I mean, I haven't got the faintest idea what people wear these days...'

Mabel giggled.

'Don't you worry, grunkle Stan. With my help, I'm going to turn you into the most handsome bachelor in the nighclub! Gigi won't be able to resist your charms!' she winked confidently.

Stan grinned widely and got up from his seat, following his niece out of the inn. Mabel had a tendency to have wild and extravagant ideas that more than often led to disastrous results. But this one time, he decided to trust her skills.

 

**Meanwhile...**

Ford was scribbling some notes on his diary about the news he had heard that morning. Meanwhile, a documentary was on TV about whales when he heard someone knocking at the door.

'I already told you I don't want any more crab cakes!' he snapped.

'Grunkle Ford, it's me!' came a boy's muffled familiar voice.

'Dipper?' he muted the TV, got up and opened the door 'Come in, come in.'

Dipper found out his grunkle had been in his room taking notes instead of getting ready for tonight's party.

'How's your head, Dipper? Feeling any pain?'

'I'm fine. Grunkle Ford, listen! Stanley went outside with Mabel. They just left to go to the mall.' he said, sounding panicked.

Dipper knew what his sister was up to. Mabel was probably going to coach Stan on how to make sure her grunkle didn't mess up his chances with Gigi.

Ford merely lifted an eyebrow and stared at him blankly. 'So?'

'So, she loves to dance! Gigi's always dancing in the kitchen while she waits for her pies to bake.'

Ford recalled Stan mentioning this to him once. How the new girl turned on the radio loudly in the kitchen and danced to her heart's content, as if no one was watching. He scratched the back of his head, feeling uncomfortable.

'I see. So Stan is getting ready to meet Gigi at this...nightclub. He intends to take her to dance. Well...seems like he knows her better than I do. I hope they have a good time together.' he grunted, and resumed writing in his diary.

The boy could see how his favorite grunkle was upset with Stan having the advantage, but seemed stuck in a rut. He decided to take action.

'Are you seriously okay with that? You're just going to sit here and do nothing?' he crossed his arms, scowling.

Ford stopped scribbling, sighing. 'Of course I'm not fine, Dipper. But Gigi and Stan have spent more time together than I have with her. And they obviously get along very well together.' he said, his voice breaking a bit.

His nephew pressed on, refusing to drop the subject.

'Grunkle Ford, you can't let Stan steal your chance to be with Gigi. We have to do something about it!'

Ford lowered his eyebrows.

'You're sounding like your sister right now. Are you still my nephew? Or a chameleoid of the 9th dimension passing off as him?'

Dipper laughed, but resumed his serious tone.

'I'm serious, grunkle. Stan is not the better twin, and you know it. If Gigi chooses him, she'll regret her choice. Stan may mean well, but he always lets people down in the end. He can't really make her happy. He's not the right guy for her. She just needs to have a chance to be around you long enough to realise that.'

Ford scratched his chin, thinking. He put down his pen and gave his nephew his full attention.

'Dipper, I'm not even sure Gigi has such feelings for me. She seldom comes to the lab, forgot my name more than once in the rare opportunities we spoke; she doesn't even know about my history with Stan or why I built the shack in the first place!'

Dipper couldn't believe his ears.

'What? You have got to be kidding me!' he exclaimed, eyes bulging. Ford wasn't expecting such a strong reaction. His nephew then recalled all the occasions when Gigi asked about Ford.

'Every time I came back from the lab she bombarded me with questions about you. How you were doing, if you were coming up for a cup of coffee, if you weren't feeling lonely, etc. She wanted to know if you needed anything - food, a blanket, medicine, anything! She went down to your lab several times late at night to check on you when you were asleep. She would sometimes ask me to bring you food. The sandwiches I brought? She made them. The coffee I brought? Same. She always worried about you, grunkle Ford! But I found out Stan told her not to go bother you because you were doing some “dangerous research” down in the basement. Stuff involving radiation and dissecting aliens, I heard him tell her.' he explained.

Ford's mouth dropped. 'Wait, what? You're telling me **Stan lied to her so she wouldn't come see me?** '

'Precisely.' he nodded.

Ford couldn't believe his ears. His brother was such a rascal. He made the only woman in the house old enough to date one of the brothers avoid all contact with him so Stan could have Gigi all to himself.

' _Son of a..._ ' he murmured under his breath.

'Grunkle Ford?'

'Nothing, nothing.'

Ford scratched his head again. He was at a complete disadvantage. He had no clothes to wear tonight, it had been thirty years ever since he tried courting a woman – well, WAY over thirty, if he counted high school –, plus he had no dancing skills whatsoever.

'I don't know, Dipper. She and I barely spoke. All she knows about me is that I'm some weird scientist who spends his days shunned in a lab in a dark basement.'

'That's the whole point of this Summer trip. You have to make her see you for who you really are!' he insisted.

Ford scratched his chin. 'Do you really think it might be possible for me and her to...'

'Of course! She's been watching you for a whole year and I KNOW she feels something for you! Grunkle Ford, this is your chance! Stan won't be expecting you to be at the nightclub. But if you turn up and invite her to dance, she won't resist. I'm sure of it!'

Dipper seemed excited at the prospect, but his grunkle was skeptical about the whole idea.

'Wait, wait wait! Wait just a second!' he got up and started pacing the room as he spoke 'Look, Dipper, I'm not comfortable in crowds. This nightclub will attract all sorts of people. Plus, I don't know the first thing about dancing. I didn't even have a date to dance with at prom! Let alone know the first thing about dancing to those...those catchy songs and modern ballads young people dance to today.'

'She won't mind that. Gigi just likes to have fun! And dancing is one way for her to have it.' Dipper insisted 'Grunkle Ford, listen: she's a young attractive woman. Yes, she is. Don't try to deny it.' he said, interrupting his grunkle 'If you don't try asking her out, there will be others who will. Do you really want Stan to take your girl out to dance and have her spend the rest of the night with him?'

That last sentence seemed to wake Ford up and he exclaimed a vehement 'What? No! Of course not!' Seeing how his grunkle was leaving his apathy behind, Dipper smiled confidently.

Ford sighed and sat on the couch lowering his head, feeling crestfallen.

'I don't know if I have what it takes to woo her. It's been YEARS since I tried dating a woman. I'm entirely out of practice. I mean, there were females beyond the portal, but...it's not the same thing.'

Dipper had to control the urge to snigger. The word woo sounded so oldfashioned.

'I don't think Gigi wants to be wooed by a stranger. It's either you or Stan.' Dipper pointed out, keeping a straight face 'She only accepted to come to Seaside on the condition you and Stan came along. Plus, didn't she invite you in person? Doesn't that mean she wanted your presence here? Enjoying this special weekend with her?'

Ford's head shot upwards, realising what his nephew meant. The boy was right. Despite whatever lies Stan had fed her, Gigi still made it a point to seek him on her own.

'Very well, Dipper. I'll give it a try. But in order to be succesful, we need to come up with a plan.'

Dipper shouted 'Yes!' and made a gesture of victory.

'I've already got some ideas, grunkle.' he said, and they both started discussing ideas for the grand night.

 

**Two hours later...**

'Are you sure this is the right store?' he asked, eyeing the flashy brand's logo with mistrust.

Stan had been dragged by Mabel to a popular male fashion store on the second floor. She had once seen her mom buy a suit to grandpa Shermie there and it fit him like a glove.

'One hundred percent right.' she said confidently. Whatever she needed to find for Stan, she was sure she would find it here.

They were greeted by the salesman, a guy in his twenties wearing a long beard and a blue ponytail. Mabel explained what they were looking for while Stan studied the salesman. He noticed his arms were covered in tattoos, he had piercings in weird places on his face and his shirt had a strange logo of a gaming company with a large red letter N. He immediately antagonised him.

'Have you ever sold a suit in your life, pal?' he questioned, pointing at him.

Mabel laughed nervously and told the man her grunkle had a funny sense of humor. 'Old people, you know.'

To their luck, the salesman was raised by his grandparents and was used to old people's grumpiness. He ended up helping Mabel and Stan find just the right suit for a Summer night.

The salesman handed him the suit and Stan and Mabel headed to the dressing booth.

'Uh, Mabel, sweetie, you can't come in the booth with me.' Stan said, embarassed.

'Nonsense! I've seen you without your pants many times!' she said dismissively.

As Mabel laughed, the other salesmen glanced at them with a stunned look, weirded out by this. Stan just shoved the girl inside the booth and prayed she wouldn't say anything else while they were inside the store.

He was still embarassed removing his clothes in front of her, but she kept trying to help him with her usual clumsy way of doing things. He just gave up and let her dress him up as if he were a doll. Mabel was having loads of fun with it, of course.

To his surprise, his tummy didn't really look pronounced under the shirt. The trousers also felt comfortable on the waist. Maybe he should try wearing anything other than that black suit now and then.

Stan stood in front of the mirror, shooting his cuffs. He could see a glint in Mabel's eyes as she stared at him, mouth agape and lips forming a smile.

He smiled confidently. 'So, how do I look?'

'Grunkle Stan, if I were any older, I'd totally go out with you.' she said, giving him two thumbs up while doing a happy dance.

Stan laughed nervously and checked himself in the mirror again. Boy, he DID really look good. His niece had really come through for him this time.

They paid for the clothes and Mabel dragged him this time to the hairdresser under his protests. Stan definitely needed a trim. As soon as they entered the salon, a bunch of old ladies turned to look at him. Stan felt intimidated and motioned to leave, but Mabel stared back at them with her bubbly attitude and smiled broadly. The ladies took one glance at her and thought she was the cutest thing they had ever seen.

'You really make friends wherever you go, don't you?' he told his niece quietly.

Stan was told to sit down in one of the chairs by the hairdresser and waited for Mabel to explain what they wanted for her grunkle. He had to endure torture as the man applied all sorts of crazy products on his head, some which required him to wait for a ridiculous amount of time with aluminum paper on his hair. Once the hairdresser came back, his scalp almost got burned with the hair dryer.

As if it weren't enough, Mabel also requested they gave him a full makeover. He tried to fight back, but she shushed him. Most men wore at least a concealer to hide age marks and facial spots. Stan reluctantly let the professional do his work as Mabel waited patiently, chatting away with other hairdressers nearby.

Once they were done, grunkle and niece got a cab and went back to the inn. Mabel checked whether Ford and Dipper were around and, once she saw the coast was clear, dragged Stan to her room.

'C'mon, grunkle Stan. Put your new clothes on! Let me see how you look!'

'Alright. Jesus, calm down, will ya? Just give me a sec.' he said, going inside the bedroom 'Kids these days. No patience, I tell you.' he continued rambling to no one in particular.

Five minutes later, she yelled: 'Are you ready?'

'Almost!' he yelled back.

A minute later Stan came out, fully clothed. Mabel's reaction took even him by surprise. She placed her hand above her heart, her face went completely red and she stared at him as if she were seeing her grunkle for the first time.

'Grunkle Stan, you look...you look...'

He took another look at his reflection. 'Twenty years younger? Like an older member of Sev'ral Timez, perhaps?'

She shook her head.

'You look SO much better than Sev'ral Timez.' she said in a dead serious voice, eyes gleaming.

Stan could see the sheer admiration in his niece's eyes. The girl could barely take her eyes off him, impressed by the result.

For the first time in years, Stanley stared at his own reflection proudly, flashing a confident smirk.

 

**Not too far from there...**

Ford and Dipper were headed to the fifth floor of the mall, the most exclusive VIP floor. An average water bottle cost no less than fifty dollars.

Dipper stared at the stores amazed. His eyes gleamed at the expensive watches on display at the nearby store. He checked the price tags and let out a whistle. Not far from there he saw three cars being showcased: a Maseratti, a Lamborghini and a Ferrari. He had never been so close to sports car in his life.

'Sooo, grunkle Ford...what are we doing surrounded by ridiculously expensive fashion articles only the wealthy and mighty can afford again?'

Ford opened his wallet and fished a debt card, showing it to him with a winning gesture.

'Not so expensive. Come, Dipper!'

He followed right behind and saw they were headed to a man's fashion store belonging to one of those famous and expensive brands. He pulled his grunkle's trenchcoat's tip, warning him a suit there would cost thousands of dollars.

'Exactly what I'm looking for.' Ford replied, smiling confidently at the salesman.

'But, but...do you even have that kind of money?' Dipper asked, worried, as the salesman handed a tuxedo of Ford's size and he took it with him to the dressing booth.

'How do you think I got rid of the portal pieces after I dismantled it?' Ford asked, removing his trenchcoat and his shoes.

Dipper said he hadn't the faintest idea.

'Why, I sold them, of course.' Ford replied casually, removing his turtleneck and revealing his bare chest. He didn't have Stan's tummy, his arms looked a bit muscular and his chest and shoulders were broader.

Dipper couldn't fathom who'd buy alien materials. 'To whom?'

'To several institutes of spatial research, of course! NASA being my biggest and most generous client. Although they haven't received many resources these past few decades. Strange. When I was a young researcher, NASA was all the rage in America.' he said, checking the All Star tattoo with disgust in the mirror and removing the rest of his clothes.

Once he was in his briefs, Dipper thought he would feel the urge to turn aside, what with Ford being a grown man and all, but...Ford wasn't like Stan. His grunkle was more like himself. As if he were an adult, older, much older version of Dipper.

'Alright. Time to see if I still fit in a tuxedo.' he sighed, staring at the clothes without much enthusiasm.

Dipper helped him dress up, handing him each piece of cloth and adjusting it where it was necessary. Soon enough, Ford was looking very much unlike his usual self. Even Dipper couldn't believe how different his grunkle could look wearing anything other than his trademark turtleneck and trenchcoat.

He whistled as they both stared at Ford's reflection. His grunkle had straightened up and adjusted the cuffs.

'Looking good, grunkle. Now all we need is to style your hair, pick the right shoes and Stan will be no competition for you.' Dipper said.

'Come. We have to choose a proper attire for you, too.' he said, shoving his nephew outside.

'What? Me?' Dipper asked, startled, being greeted by the salesman.

After they left the store, grunkle and nephew went to the hairdresser to have both a haircut. Dipper hesitated, but Ford insisted he look good as well. Apparently his grunkle made a point his nephew looked equally dapper that night. Probably because Ford knew Dipper also had a hard time with girls.

As soon as they were done, they headed to the perfume store and lastly to the shoe store. Once they had bought everything, they headed back to the inn to get ready. Ford made sure Stan and Mabel hadn't returned and quickly entered the grunkles' room with his nephew. They both got dressed, put on some cologne and then checked how each other looked. Their jaws dropped once they stood side by side in front of the mirror.

'You're bound to turn some heads tonight, Dipper!' Ford said with a look of approval.

'Grunkle Ford, I have to say...there's no way Gigi will refuse a dance with you. Stan will become just one more random guy in the crowd once you arrive.'

Ford straightened his pose again and returned his nephew's compliment with a confident smile, the first one he wore in many, many years.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see, Mabel opted for a more popular, modern style while Ford went for the traditional look. 
> 
> I believe it suited their personalities best, since Stan is all about impressing people with cheap tricks and has a superfluous air about him, what with him being a con man and having to adapt to new situations all the time. So Mabel chose something that matched her grunkle's adaptable, chameleonic personality.
> 
> As for Ford, he is a serious researcher, nose deep in books and meticulous about his work. He doesn't care much about impressing anyone with his appearance, rather with his ideas and intellect. He once wanted to impress the world by becoming the next Einstein or Tesla. And of course, to become a millionaire through his success. Traditional and expensive suited him better.
> 
> Curious to know how they DO look in their new attires (since I purposefuly didn't describe them)? Then stick around for the next chapter!


	6. Dance Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dance night has arrived and it's murder on the dance floor! Each grunkle will have only one chance to impress Gigi. Who will be the lucky winner tonight and have a date with the woman of their dreams?

Gigi had spent the day at the hairdresser getting ready for the big night. She had brought a fancy black dress for such an occasion, just in case. Mabel was in her room getting ready as well. She let Gigi do her hair and makeup and marvelled at how pretty she looked.

Dipper had just returned from wherever he and Ford were hiding and asked Gigi if he could get inside the room. Mabel opened the door to him and he was a bit taken aback once he saw his sister looking so different with makeup on her face and wearing a fancy dress. She looked a lot older. The thought bothered him.

'Hi bro.' she greeted.

'Uh...hi, Mabel. You look...different.'

'Look who's talking! Looking for some romance tonight?' she teased. Dipper was wearing a tuxedo and his hair was combed very elegantly. He blushed and didn't know how to respond.

'C'mon in!' she grabbed him by the arm and pulled him inside.

Dipper saw Gigi was finishing putting her makeup on. Her hair was combed in an elegant side braid and she was dressed in a spectacular sparkly black dress which showed enough cleavage. A pair of long silvery earrings cascaded down her ears and completed the look.

He had never seen an adult woman in such a revealing dress up close. He blushed furiously and his pulse quickened. His mind became blank and his heart seemed to go a thousand miles per hour, and for some damn reason, he couldn't take his eyes off her.

'Oh, hello, Dipper!' she said in her usual bubbly voice 'My, you look a lot older in that tuxedo! Are you trying to tug someone's heartstrings tonight?'

Words failed him and he stammered a response. Mabel elbowed him, making him feel even more sweaty and nervous.

'I haven't seen Stan or Ford all day. Do you guys know where they went?' Gigi asked.

The twins pretended they didn't have a clue.

'Aren't you two secretive! I wonder what surprises the night has in store for us.' she said.

'Plenty, I guess.' said Mabel.

'Oh yeah. **Plenty of surprises.** ' Dipper said slyly.

Mabel turned to look at her brother with an inquisitive look. Dipper merely looked back at her wearing an innocent expression.

As soon as Gigi was finished, she escorted the twins to the nightclub. 'C'mon, guys! Let's hit the dance floor!'

They followed suit, eager to see how Gigi would react once she saw the result of their efforts to help their respective grunkles win her heart tonight.

* * *

As they arrived at the nightclub, the place was crowded and loud music was already playing. Some couples were chatting near the bar while others danced. A few teenagers talked loudly in a corner. Some girls were all by themselves while a few guys watched them nearby, measuring their chances of going out with one of them, holding their soda plastic cups as if they were drinking beer, trying to look manly. It seemed the party had started one hour ago. The trio tried to find Stan, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Gigi took the kids to the tables with snacks when she felt a pair of hands suddenly grab her waist from behind. She turned around and saw a fourty-something old man staring back at her with a smirk. He looked familiar somehow. It took her a moment to recognise the elegant man who was standing in front of her.

Stan was wearing an open white silk Summer suit and a dark blue shirt open at the collar, letting her take a good look at his shaven chest. A thin necklace adorned his collarbone, where a single roaring silver wolf rested on his tanned skin. The wrinkles and lines on his now smooth face were gone. His hair had lost most of its grey and was many shades darker. He had shaven and his hair was elegantly combed, unlike the hairy mess it usually was. His tummy was nowhere visible beneath his clothes; he looked fit and slim. And to finish the look, he wore a pair of elegant white and brown mocassins.

Gigi swooned over him. 'Stanley, is that really you? You look... you look...'

'Younger?'

'Very much so!' she admitted, cheeks gone red.

'And you look smoking hot tonight.' he said, kissing her cheek. 'I'll have a hard time trying not to imagine you out of that dress.' he smirked.

Gigi was beet red and appreciated the compliment. Stan then turned to the twins, who were staring back at him with terrified faces at that explicitly adult comment.

'Enjoy the party, kids! Make sure to steer cleer of the punch. Seriously, it tastes awful.'

Gigi conducted him to the dance floor, hopping at the music rhythm. Stan wasn't that fond of dancing, but since he had agreed to do this, he would do his best to keep up with her.

* * *

About half an hour had passed when Gigi returned from the dance floor. She wondered whether Ford was coming to the nightclub or not. She hadn't seen him all night.

'Do you think he forgot?' she asked Dipper.

'Oh, he'll be coming.' he assured her. 'Where's grunkle Stan?'

'He's resting a bit. I tired him out with all that dancing, I'm afraid.' she snorted.

Dipper let out a 'Oh, no. Poor grunkle Stan!', but what he truly meant was ' _Good. Let's hope he's too tired to go on dancing all night with her._ '

She noticed the stares the boy was receiving from the younger teens.

'Seems you've got a few fans. Look over there. Be discreet.' she suggested.

Dipper glanced at the group of girls chatting not far away and they giggled once they saw him staring back at them. It was the first time he received female attention. Suddenly he felt his tie too tight around his neck. He didn't quite know what to do.

'Just play it cool. Motion for them to come over with your head. Make casual conversation.' she advised him.

'I don't know what exactly I should talk about.' he confessed, sweating and laughing nervously.

'Ask why they came to Seaside Escape! If they came with their families, where they live, where they study. That sort of thing.'

Dipper swallowed hard and took another sip of his soda. Talking like a normal person seemed easier said than done. Gigi was going to give him more advice when she saw the whole club's attention was enraptured by something.

There was some commotion at the door and everyone turned to look. A very tall and handsome man was standing at the entrance. He was wearing an expensive dark blue tuxedo by Hugo Boss with a black shirt underneath, a Bulgary wristwatch, brand new glasses and his hair showed no signs of grey except for two elegant strands on each side of his head.

People mistook him for a rich businessman, the way he conducted himself with such dignity. He strut past the couples with a discreet smile, hands in his pockets and a confident gait, a powerful manly aura irradiating from him. Other men seemed to dwarf near him. He was by far the new alpha male in the nightclub. Dipper wore the widest smile once he saw him arrive. When Gigi recognised who that was, her heart skipped a beat and she dropped the glass of wine she was holding, startling when it shattered on the floor.

In slow motion she watched Stanford Pines walk toward her, a winning smile plastered on his face. Every woman in the nightclub turned her head to look at him, leaving many husbands jealous. Without a shadow of a doubt, he was the most eligible bachelor tonight.

'Gigi.' he said in a low masculine tone. His cologne overwhelmed her.

His broad shoulders and strong build were emphasized by the tuxedo. His dark silk shirt was buttoned all the way to the collar, where an elegant velvety bowtie rested under his square chin. The mocassins were made of legitimate leather, like the thin belt he wore around his waist. The reclusive scientist was gone and replaced by a man who could easily be mistaken by the rich CEO of a hedge fund out to have a party at a mansion.

'Grunkle Ford.' said Dipper, greeting him discreetly, eyes shining with approval.

Gigi went even redder in the face than when Stan greeted her and she couldn't speak without stammering. 'F-Ford, uh...Y-you're...s-so...!'

Her nervousness boosted his confidence and he flashed a smirk, making her insides melt. A new music started playing. He wordlessly extended his open palm to her. Gigi didn't think twice before accepting his invitation. Dipper took another sip of his Pitt cola as he watched his grunkle take her to the dance floor, confidence never wavering, Gigi's attention focused on nothing but Ford.

Stan had been in the toilet for the past ten minutes and didn't notice when his brother came in the nightclub. As soon as he went back to the dance room, he realised a rich dude was dancing with Gigi and thought of giving him a piece of his own mind when...

His face fell when he recognised that man.

**'Stanford? _How???'_**

A new music had started and Ford and Gigi were having a great time at the dance floor. He had no trouble keeping up with her, unlike Stan, who rarely got up from his armchair. Thirty years gallivanting around the Multiverse, following a rigid diet and staying fit were finally paying off.

Mabel was nearby and wore the same expression watching the couple have fun.

'How is that even possible?' she squeaked, looking as defeated as Stan.

'Oh, it's simple. You just have to know what the ladies like.' a voice replied not too far.

Both of them turned to look at Dipper, who was looking smug.

'Dipper?' Mabel asked, confused.

'I gave grunkle Ford a few tips for tonight. How to dress, how to talk, even showed him a couple of songs Gigi might like. We planned the whole thing. And now, you can watch the result.' he confessed, wearing an arrogant smirk.

Mabel's brain bugged as she registered how her brother was capable of beating her at who was a better love advisor. But she had done everything right! She took Stan to the hairdresser, bought him nice clothes – well, HE bought them, actually -, picked up the right cologne, even had him have a complete makeover...why was this happening?

Meanwhile, the music changed to a more energetic beat. Ford and Gigi adapted their dance to match the rhythm. Ford twirled her now and then as they held hands, her dress caressing his legs everytime she twisted and turned. Dancing with this gorgeous man to her favorite tune...She was in the clouds! Her dress sparkled against the lights and Ford executed his moves with perfection, drawing stares from the crowd. Most couples clapped to the rhythm, watching them dance as they had been doing that for years. They were the star of the evening.

Dipper drank his soda satisfied. So far as he was concerned, Ford owned the situation. But Stan wasn't ready to admit defeat. The competition had upped their level? Fine. The game was still on.

Dipper watched his grunkle march toward Ford and Gigi, concerned. Stan had a habit of messing things up. 'What is he going to try?'

Stan arrived at the dance floor pretending to dance among the other couples. When Ford twirled Gigi, he grasped her other hand in his and twirled her toward him, dancing her away from his brother. Once Ford realised what he had done, he calmly went after Stan and waited for his opportunity to pull Gigi back.

Mabel and Dipper watched the two brothers compete to see who would finish the dance with her. Mabel would pull her hair in desperation every time Stan lost to Ford. Dipper was biting his nails, eyes glued to the trio.

The song was almost over and Gigi suddenly grabbed Ford's hand while in Stan's arms. She hopped and brought both brothers with her to the very center of the dance floor. As she stood in the middle, she made them follow her moves to the beat. Even though they knew this was a bit ridiculous, they mimicked her moves, dancing as if they were part of a dance group.

The couples started clapping harder, enjoying the show. Most of them were women, cheering for the grunkles. Apparently they were attracting a lot of female attention. Ford didn't like it; he only had eyes for Gigi. But Stan didn't mind, being the showman he always was. He winked at one or two of them, making them swoon. Gigi laughed at the scene. She knew he was having fun.

Mabel and Dipper stared at each other nonplussed, unsure what to think of this.

'Well, that was an unusual development.'

'You can say that again, Dipper.'

The music ended and the entire nightclub clapped. Gigi held both grunkles and kissed each one on the cheek. She excused herself and went to the bathroom to freshen her make up.

As soon as she had disappeared into the toilet, Stanley collapsed on the floor. Ford and a small crowd hurried to help him. Apparently Stan wasn't about to die from a stroke. He was just exhausted from all the intense dancing. Some of the men helped to carry him over to one of the armchairs, where they fawned him and gave him some water.

As soon as he was feeling a bit better, Dipper rushed to watch over his grunkle with Mabel. He then pulled Ford to one side and asked him to hurry and find Gigi.

Ford protested. 'But Stan is...'

'He'll be fine! Knowing Stan, he's just overreacting.' his nephew said.

'But Dipper...'

'Just look at him. Didn't you notice? He's surrounded by women now. He won't be getting up from that armchair so soon.' Dipper pointed out 'Go. Me and Mabel will take care of everything. Now go be with her! You deserve it!'

Ford didn't say another word and thanked his nephew for all the help tonight.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the first part of Ford's date with Gigi. Things between them will get a lot more intimate in the next one. Beware some mild explicit content.
> 
> Which grunkle was better dressed? Stan or Ford? And which one would you dance with?


	7. Night Stroll

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the party, Ford and Gigi enjoy their night stroll by the shore and get to know each other better. As they open up with each other, Ford realises there's someone on this Earth he can feel comfortable with and things take an interesting turn as he allows his repressed urges to take hold of him...

Ford and Gigi were about to leave the nightclub when the barkeep handed her a crate with a few beers, saying it was “on the house”. Gigi saw the label and gave the man a tip, asking him to thank the innkeeper for her.

As Ford came out of the nightclub, he breathed a sigh of relief. As much as he wanted to impress Gigi, being in a crowded room wasn't good for his social anxiety. He heard her whistle as she stared at the night sky.

'Check out the stars! Wanna take a night stroll with me?'

'I don't see why not.' he said, still feeling confident in that Hugo Boss tuxedo.

He saw her remove her heels as soon as she stepped on the sand. Ford decided to do the same. As he was busy removing his shoes, she took the opportunity to check him out again.

'You know, you look very handsome tonight.'

Ford felt his heart skip a beat at the compliment. He was right; Dipper was a clever kid. He had picked up his entire outfit. But he knew better than to let her know that.

'You looked absolutely stunning tonight, Gigi. I noticed a couple of guys couldn't take their eyes off you the whole evening.' he managed to say without stammering.

'They can stare all they want. I didn't come to Seaside to have random dates with strangers.' she said.

Ford didn't know how to interpret this. Then again, they weren't strangers. Gigi had been living in the shack for around a year now.

He stepped in the fluffy sand and felt his feet relax out of those tight mocassins. Gigi suggested they leave their shoes with the barkeep. He would take them to the inn, where they would be returned to them once they were back from their stroll.

* * *

 

Ford talked about some of his adventures beyond the portal. He found Gigi was interested in all he had to say. She held her breath and arched her eyebrows at every dramatic twist, giving him her full attention.

'And then I had to use the last power module of my phase gun to shoot the cephalopod's last head.' he went on 'But the damn creature saw through my ruse and dematerialised his head. The shot went straight through him and then he grabbed me with one of his 9,999 tentacles.'

'What did you do?'

'Nothing. I thought I was done for! And then part of the ceiling had come loose because of all my previous shooting and fell right over his head.' he went on.

'Did he die?'

'No, but he passed out for long enough for me to escape with the Hypersphere. After I returned it to the Nihoglians, they thanked me for my services. They also wanted to marry me to one of their princes.' he added, going red in the face. 'It took me a long time to explain to them how I didn't look like a female, even though their females looked like human males. How my species was incompatible with theirs. And how my preference for partners was, well...'

'Yeah, I know. Sexuality and gender nowadays. Awkward.'

'You said it.'

They had been walking for a while now when Gigi offered him to take a sip of her beer. Ford stared at the bottle, uncertain. Oh no. This was one of those situations where some knowledge of social interaction was required. His awkwardness was beginning to show and he felt cornered.

Gigi sensed his uneasiness and tried to keep him relaxed. 'You don't have to if you don't want to. It's okay, Ford.' she said, winking and taking a quick sip.

He shot a quick look at her, surprised. Most people usually forced others to engage in social activity. She just didn't mind and wanted him to feel comfortable for a change.

'Thanks.' he said quietly.

'Oh, don't thank me. You don't know what you're missing. This is some really good shit.' she said between sips.

'Oh?'

'Here. Check the label.' she handed him the bottle. The label said it was brewed locally.

'The guy who makes these is the inn's cousin. He has his own production. He produces the local wine as well. Even steps on the grapes himself. Nah, just kidding.' she added, seeing the look on his face. Ford could be adorably naive. 'They always throw me a free crate every time I stay here.'

Ford stared at her, utterly puzzled.

'Why do they favor you so much?'

Gigi explained she helped the innkeeper sort some legal problems years ago, before he even owned an inn. She contacted a friend, a good lawyer, one of the best in his field and won the lawsuit. The innkeeper used the money to reform his house and turned it into an inn.

She could tell Ford was impressed. He had just told her a summarised version of thirty years worth of adventures in a sci fi alternate dimension, with creepy aliens and ruthless mercenaries, all the while being chased by the cyber police... while a simple story of how she developed her friendship with an innkeeper got her a lifetime supply of free homebrewed beer. She wondered how much Ford missed in terms of bonding with people, of interacting with another human being. There were basic cues to which he was clueless. Had he survived all on his own this entire time? Was a human capable to withstand thirty years of a solitary life?

She had so many questions.

'Well, it pays to have friends.' Ford said.

'Especially handsome ones.' she said, winking at him. Heat rushed up to Ford's neck and ears.

They arrived at a spot with a few beach seats. There was no one around late at night. The dance club and the inn were at some distance now. The loud music could be barely heard over the sound of the crashing waves. The air wasn't so cold tonight. Ford took a seat, stretching his long legs, with Gigi doing the same in the seat next to him. They stood side by side in comfortable silence, watching the hypnotic motion of the waves.

Ford glanced at her once or twice. Gigi had a funny effect on him. Even though they barely spoke while she was living in his shack, he felt accepted in her presence. She didn't mind his natural awkwardness. She didn't laugh when his brother made fun of him. And during the whole trip, she tried to make him feel comfortable in her presence. She even enjoyed listening to his stories of how life was in the Multiverse, traveling from one dimension to another, lending his services as a mercenary to governments, empires and royal dynasties to survive.

Any ordinary woman would have taken him for an oddball and avoided him at all costs. Gigi sought his company willingly, bringing him coffee and sandwiches now and then and worrying about his well-being. She was considerate. Hardworking. She did a lot for the Pines family without expecting recognition for it. He genuinely didn't understand what the heck she saw in a guy like Stan. One look at him and you knew he was a con man. His brother wasn’t deceiving anyone. As for Gigi, everything about her told him she was an honest, responsible woman. So why him?

'My brother seems very taken by you.' he said.

Gigi was taken aback and looked at him sideways. She didn't know what to respond.

'My brother has had a string of failed relationships.' he continued 'He's not a bad person. But he has the habit of running away from responsibility.'

She couldn’t help but grin. Twins.

'You and your brother are really competitive, aren't you? You almost tore me in half on the dance floor. Not that I'm complaining. Never had so much fun in one night.'

Ford couldn't believe her. Here he was, trying to be serious, warning her against his brother's unreliable nature while she just took his words lightly. Gigi tried not to smirk at the face he was making, but it was impossible. Soon enough, she was sniggering. He let out a long sigh.

'Look, all I'm saying is...'

'I know what you're trying to tell me.’ she interrupted him ‘Stan and I don't have anything. We talked and shared a couple of beers, and that was it. Nothing else came from that.' she explained.

' **He carried you in his arms to a secluded part of the beach.** ' Ford blurted out.

Gigi was about to take a sip when her hand stopped mid air.

'You saw us?' she sounded crestfallen.

'How could I not? The porch is visible from my window.' he said, voice rising slightly.

She hadn’t expected that answer..

'I'm sorry, Ford. It's just...you and your brother have been so nice to me. And you've been such perfect gentlemen all this time. It's...I should have more self-control.'

'You were also drinking last night.' he pointed out.

'You noticed, huh?' she looked taciturn all of a sudden. Ford mentally kicked himself for being so nosy.

'Still, nothing happened. Your brother is a gentleman. Plus, his cramps got in the way.' she smirked.

'Oh. And would you have carried on with him, if not for the cramps?' he pressed on, trying to measure how much did she like his brother.

'I haven't been in bed with a man in over ten years. So I don't know how to answer that.' she sighed heavily.

Her confession left him speechless. He didn't expect such a straightforward answer. He decided to drop the subject. He wasn't about to pry open her personal affairs. But he did wonder how a woman like her - young, pretty and independent – was so unlucky in love.

They were both silent when Gigi spoke again.

'I was about to get married last year.'

'Oh?'

She took a long sip, mustering the courage to talk about it. Her voice sounded heavy and croaked. Ford could tell this was a hard chapter of her life.

'His name was Robert. We had the same age. Smooth talker. Tall. Handsome. Very charming. At first, I wanted nothing to do with him. I don't like overconfident men.' she confessed. 'But he saw something in me and asked me on a date. So we start dating. We date for like six months until, all of a sudden, he proposes. I thought I was in love, so I said yes. We set the wedding date. A month to the wedding, everything is fine until I find out there are days when he's not at his home on a Friday night. Or Saturday. Or Sunday. Apparently he's too busy to talk to me on the phone, let alone go out on a date. Like normal couples do.' she said, taking a sip.

'So what do I do? I go over to his place. Nothing looks suspicious. I pick his phone without him knowing and take it to a friend of mine who works at Apple. She hacks it and finds out dozens of messages he had been texting to two different girls. One of them, I learned, had been engaged to him. And in his recent messages, he seemed to want to go back to her.'

Ford couldn't believe how people could be so horrible to each other.

'I trust he didn't like it when he found out.' he commented.

'Nope. Didn't like one bit. The wedding day came. He left me in the altar. Badmouthed me to my work colleagues, making it seem as though I had slept with a friend of mine who everybody knew had stayed at my place when his parents kicked him out of the house.'

'Why was he kicked out?'

'His family found out all about his boyfriend. Of course, nobody at work knew he was gay. So they assumed the worst about me.'

She went on.

'When he found out I was dating again, he left threatening messages in my phone. Of course I sought the police. He was a bastard. He just pretended to be nice to me to get what he wanted.' she took a long sip.

'Which was?'

'Someone to show to his friends and work colleagues there were women crawling all over him. And a reason to make his ex-wife jealous.' she said, voice wavering. 'So you see, most men I meet are controlling or aggressive. I'm not used to trust someone until I know them well.'

Ford finally understood why she rushed to Stan's embrace like that last night. Gigi had been staying with the Pines brothers for over a year. She had helped in the house, took care of the kids when they were busy, even helped Ford cope with a problem involving human-flesh eating aliens. By now she knew the Pines family well enough to know what sort of men he and his brother were. No wonder she warmed up to them over time.

The thought made him feel appreciated. Unknowingly, he was being scrutinised by a woman all this time. And she found him a worthy candidate to be her lover and – possibly - companion.

Gigi checked the cooler. 'Well...last bottle.'

Ford watched her try to open it by herself, but the damn cork was too tight. He removed a penknife from his pocket he had acquired in the 35th dimension and asked her to hand him the bottle. With zero effort, he had opened it. She thanked him, but didn't extend her hand to pick the bottle from him. And then it dawned on him.

As he stared back at her, breeze caressing her hair and her delicate frame bathed by moonlight, Ford finally understood the reason behind one social rule: why you should never let a lady drink on her own.

He brought the bottle to his lips, hesitated for a beat and then took a short sip, followed by another one, and another one. Gigi watched him as he drank; the movements of his large throat as he swallowed the liquid. Unlike most men, he didn't let one single drop slid from his mouth.

 _The perfect gentleman indeed._ she thought.

The beer tasted sweet and smelled good. The first time he had drunk beer, it had been awful. His friends in college had forced him to try it. It tasted bitter and nauseating. He ended up throwing up in the toilet, tripped in a carpet and bashed his head against the wall and later accidentally killed his friend’s chihuahua by stepping on its neck. On that day, he had sworn never to drink a single drop of alcohol in his life ever again.

Guess this was one permanent rule in his life he was breaking. He kept drinking, savouring the unusual tasty beverage. So far, the whole universe hadn't disintegrated. The Earth hadn't stopped spinning. And drinking didn't feel bad in the least.

Gigi looked at him expectantly. 'So? How does it taste?'

He threw her a look and stared back at the bottle. 'Let me check that again to be sure.' Just like that, he took another sip, seeming to want to drink through the whole bottle. Gigi laughed and protested, yelling 'Hey!' and demanded he return her beer.

She playfully tried to snatch the bottle from him, but he stretched his arm upwards, away from her reach. She climbed on top of him trying to grab it and both of them fell backwards, with Gigi coming to land on top of him, still wrestling for the bottle.

He was suddenly aware of the warmth of her body and its weight on top of him. The scent of her perfume was now stronger. To his surprise, he felt incredibly relaxed and a heat wave overwhelmed him as he felt her struggle against his body. The sudden intimacy sent waves of heat that washed over him; a sensation he had never felt in his life, he realised. He knew by now he couldn’t hide the effect the close proximity had on him and Gigi would know what he was feeling the moment she took one look at his face. The thought made him feel exposed and vulnerable to another person, something he went to great lengths to avoid his entire life. But to have a woman lying on top of him, smiling and giggling, willingly seeking his company, and both of them feeling so free and lighthearted tonight...

He was losing control over his body's reactions, his senses overlapping his judgement. And in spite of all his years of self-imposed discipline, of having a spartan routine, for the first time in his life he ignored that tiny voice in his mind which spoke of logic and reason and just allowed himself to enjoy the moment.

When she stopped wrestling, panic threatened to overwhelm him. He didn't know how to proceed. Was it time to kiss her? How was he supposed to do it? He had been kissed before, in the 20th and the 31st dimension, but by aliens, whose mouths and courtship rituals were nothing like those practiced by human society.

As it happened, Gigi stared at him with loving eyes and combed his grey locks with her fingers.

'I love your hair. It’s so smooth. And your fringe is so stylish.' she murmured, sounding slightly inebriated.

Ford started to feel lightheaded – no doubt the alcohol was starting to kick in – and his cheeks were flushed. He felt the sudden urge to giggle. He was happy. Belated. Something which was impossible for him after thirty years without any close human contact.

She then approached her face from his and...rested her head on the curve of his neck. He felt a pair of small delicate arms embrace his waist and he hugged her back, feeling comfortable with the proximity. As it was, it was his turn to start combing her hair, and as he did so, he kissed her cheek. She moaned quietly in response, enjoying the caress. They exchanged a few words, commenting on the day's events and basking in each other's heat by the sound of crashing waves.

A few moments later, Ford was under the full effect of the beer and his social anxiety had ebbed away. His chest felt warm, as if all the knots in his heart were undone. His body was emitting an incredible heat, and he could feel Gigi was warm against him. His mind started going places and he was soon feeling the urge to get closer. He needed more intimacy. More closeness.

His member was hard and throbbing under her weight. She couldn’t tell under the many layers of clothing he wore. His hands traveled lower, moving from her arms to her waist and he began to massage her back with open palms. He heard her moan against him and it only served to further encourage him.  

For the first time, he ignored his natural self restraint and followed his instincts. He slowly turned his body to the side, holding Gigi so she wouldn't slid and both looked at each other lovingly. Her eyes shone with the same lust as his. Without wasting another second, they closed the distance between them, seeking each other’s lips.

The smooch was soft and chaste at first. Ford hadn’t tasted a woman’s lips in a long time. She let him get used to it before trying to playfully bite his lower lip and suck it. Every time she did it, he moaned a little under his breath.

After a full minute being kissed and teased, the caresses were driving Ford crazy. His kisses were now more demanding and she guided him until their tongues met, caressing each other. Ford always thought tongue kissing was disgusting. Mouths were naturally dirty, full of residues and bacteria. He realised now how wrong he was as he hungrily dove in her mouth again, eliciting moans from her throat that further stimulated him.

He was breathing heavily, shivering from repressed urges. He felt the need for release coming from his hard throbbing member and a blind thirst that overwhelmed him. He was becoming desperate. Like a beast that had been caged and starved for years and was now finally being set free.

With what little reason he still had left, he exerted as much self-control as he could to not strip both himself and Gigi naked at once. But he moved to rest on top of her, at first kissing her and then pressing his body against hers. She lifted a leg to better cradle him. The gesture made the beast inside him purr and soon he was kissing her face, her neck, her collarbone as she pressed her pelvis against his by crossing her legs behind him.

Wheezing, he finally took a break from all that kissing to look at her. She had the same hungry look in her eyes. He remembered her words: she hadn’t slept with a man in ten years. Of course, she and Stan had never concluded their affairs that night. Now was his chance. But was it right to seek release like this? Just to be the first?

He blinked, some of his reason returning to him. He felt dirty. No, this wasn't him. This wasn’t who he was at all. And Gigi...she was special. She deserved a lot more. What he wanted to have with her went beyond a simple one night stand. Now that he was calmer, he decided it would be better to abstain and allow love to blossom naturally, as it should. There were other ways to seek release. Until he had properly courted her, he wouldn’t go any further.

They closed their eyes and touched foreheads as he caressed the side of her face. He held her again, both enjoying their intimacy without things getting sexual.

'Ford?' she murmured in his ear in a breathless voice.

'Yeah?'

'I can feel something hard and pointy against my crotch.'

Ford gave her a quizzical look. She explained she mentioned the phaser gun he always brought along.

'Oh. Sorry.' he said, reaching his hands toward his own crotch to move it to another pocket. His hand kept accidentally rubbing against her lower tummy and somehow slipped between her legs.

He apologised profusely and she sniggered. His awkwardness was cute. Once the gun was safely secured in another pocket, they resumed their embrace, with Ford caressing her hair. She did the same, and they soon started smooching once more, their hairs a wild mess as their locks were blown by the breeze. Ford wished that night would never end. If there was a Summer he wanted to last forever, this was it.

The alarm of his wristwatch started going off and he checked the time. Almost midnight. The inn would close in a few minutes. Reluctantly, they got up from the beach seats and made their way back, arms wrapped at each other's waist, walking back together like two lovers who had just enjoyed their time at the beach, not a care in the world as to what people would think once they saw them laughing and kissing each other.

* * *

 

Gigi kissed Ford one last time before going inside her room. She bid him goodnight and closed the door. He turned around, wearing the biggest grin as he opened the door to his room. He felt like he was back in college, just having returned from a successful date with a girl whom he had been meaning to ask out for years.

He walked back to his room with a confident gait. On the corridor, Dipper crawled out from the shadows, checking to see if Gigi's door was closed.

'Grunkle Ford, you took forever to come back! So how was it?' he murmured.

'We'll talk in the morning.' Ford said strictly. He couldn't risk her overhearing their conversation.

Dipper looked crestfallen. His grunkle then approached him and murmured:

'It worked! I got to the next base. We'll discuss the next strategy tomorrow, coach.' Ford said with a confident smirk.

The boy smiled broadly and strutted back to his room. He couldn't wait to rub it in Mabel's face. His favourite grunkle was winning the love game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s the last day of the Pines’ brief Summer vacation and Gigi must soon choose which grunkle she will date. Her choices will have unforeseen consequences, though. Dipper and Mabel are watching the romance unfold with bated breath. Could her choice spark a sudden rivalry between the young twins?


End file.
